Amazon Prime is an Amazon service that allows subscribers access to two days free delivery for eligible purchases. It also gives access to screen streaming video, music and so on. However, the subscription is paid for, either monthly or yearly.

Selling a product on Prime makes a big difference. As you may already know, selling on Amazon is a risk-free and effortless ways to earn from home. It might interest you to know that when you sell on FBA, your products get automatic enrollment into Prime listings. There are a whole lot of benefits of selling on Amazon Prime. Let’s take a look at what it is all about, and I bet you will want to start selling immediately.

Amazon Prime features and benefits

Access to committed buyers: Selling on Amazon Prime automatically means you have a consistent customer base who are seriously on a look out for Prime products with just a click.

It might interest you to know that the percentage of US households on Prime is 51%. So, this means that when you sell on amazon prime, you are targeting over

90 million prospects in the US. Also, not forgetting that there are 60 million Prime customers all over the world.

Furthermore, these huge figures I stated above only represent active users who regularly buy on Amazon. Six percent of those using Amazon Prime buy something on amazon everyday, which is better than the one percent standard Amazon user. For Amazon Prime, what you have is up to nine million (9,000,000) unique buyers on Amazon on a daily basis.

You can also understand from this that, in a minimum of two times per week, 18 percent of Prime customers make a purchase. This in addition with the bi-weekly 26 percent purchase, will result in approximately 138 million monthly purchase on Amazon Prime.

This is a huge opportunity here. Upon seeing these figures my joy blew up and I felt the need to pass the information on. You may want to consider tapping into this opportunity if you are not already into it.

All these are a proof that the Amazon Prime marketplace is a beneficial means of selling your products. With the service, you have committed people making a daily purchase, and not just a one time purchase but a continuous one. Less marketing work and expense for you: In eCommerce businesses, it is usually hard to keep a customer for long and have them return to keep purchasing, that is if you successfully gain customers to make purchases.

Marketing is a huge work

Business owners invest a lot in marketing because of how much benefit it may give their business. However, a big part of the work is already taken care of for you if you are an Amazon seller.

Who does not know Amazon?

Amazon is widely known and well trusted too. The number of people using and paying for Prime service shows that a lot of people know and love it already. And, they definitely will keep buying on Amazon. Since Amazon is doing the marketing for you, you get to save yourself from extra stress and save your money too.

I’m sure you know or have an idea of how much you will be spending on marketing if you were selling on another platform. Customer retention is huge work, using influencers require money so does advertisement and customer loyalty programs too, and there is even more! All these extra work is taken care of you when you use Amazon Prime. The money to go into those can go into other things that will boost your business.

Increased profit: With those figures of Amazon audience, your business might just witness more sales. People are becoming impatient with delivery and always want to get their orders faster than 3 days if possible. Prime offers delivery within two days, so why won’t people rush in for it.

How to sell on Amazon Prime

Now that you know how Amazon Prime works and the benefits you stand to gain from the service, let’s look at how to sell on amazon prime.

Before you can sell on Amazon Prime, you must already have been a seller of the Amazon FBA. To add, your seller metrics should be high.

Here are the two simple steps to follow to start selling under Prime

1. You should already be a seller on Amazon FBA: you cannot move to the Amazon Prime if you aren’t already on the FBA. That is not a difficulty as far as you select the right product.

2. Your Seller metrics must be high: Your seller data has to be on the high side before Prime shipping can happen. Although, there is not much information to on the specific metrics.

Have a high-quality product – if you can provide a good quality product to buyers, there will be low returns and positive reviews from them since they’re satisfied.

Create professional images for your products – make sure you hire product photography services that create pictures specificly for e-commerce and Amazon platforms.

With the Amazon PPC campaigns, you can boost your product’s visibility on search results, you can utilize it.

Provide a standout customer service. You can use Jump Send to achieve this, as it is an effective tool.Ensure you’re never out of stock. This can bring a gap between you and your customers.

What about a new seller?

If you are new on Amazon, you might have to exercise some patience since it will take little time for you to switch to the prime service. You have to wait for your metrics to rise. You can achieve that in no time if you choose a fantastic product to sell. Carry out a deep research to be sure you are making the right choice.

Do not be tempted to lose patience because trust me, the benefits will be worth the wait at the end of the day.

Conclusion

Amazon Prime is an easy way to increase your earnings from the comfort of your home. You first need to get a hold of how to sell on Amazon FBA, and know how to do it right. Have your metrics high and go for it! I believe this article has been encompassing enough as a guide. Good luck!

]]>https://www.prophotostudio.net/2018/08/04/how-to-sell-on-amazon-prime/feed/0Amazon Prime MapCalendarGraphSocialPeopleQuestionsAmazon Product Ranking: What it is, How it works, and Why it matters.https://www.prophotostudio.net/2018/05/29/amazon-product-ranking-explained/ https://www.prophotostudio.net/2018/05/29/amazon-product-ranking-explained/#respondTue, 29 May 2018 15:52:00 +0000https://www.prophotostudio.net/single-post/2018/05/29/Amazon-Product-Ranking-What-it-is-How-it-works-and-Why-it-mattersIt has been a long way since 1999, the year when Amazon started out as a relatively humble e-commerce store dedicated exclusively to selling books. Today, the company ranks as the 4th-most valuable one on the planet, and according to a study performed last year by Business Insider it accounts for about 43 percent of all online retails sales in the United States - a rough estimate of around US$ 178 billion. Moreover, a detailed...

It has been a long way since 1999. This was the year when Amazon started out as a humble e-commerce store. It was dedicated exclusively to selling books. Today, the company ranks as the 4th-most valuable one on the planet. According to a study performed last year by Business Insider it accounts for about 43 percent of all online retails sales in the United States. This is a rough estimate of around US$ 178 billion.

A detailed analysis of product relevance and ranking reveals that the first page of results is responsible for approximately 80 percent of all clicks done in Amazon. – Roughly 60 percent of those clicks linked to the top three results. Additionally, the numbers show that roughly 70 percent of Amazon users never visit the second page. With such compelling numbers, it comes as no surprise that any Amazon seller – seeking success at the online retail business, of course – is bound to ask themselves these couple of significant questions:

What exactly is the Amazon Product Ranking, and how can I rank my product among the first results?

Before we answer these questions, we must first understand what Amazon expects from their sellers. What they want to offer to their 170 million unique monthly customers, and how they intend to do it.

A glance at Amazon’s career page shows us a bit more about their company’s vision. They want to become the most customer-centric company on the planet. –A place where their customers are able to find and discover anything at the lowest prices. Simply put, what they want boils down to two things: recurring clients and gross revenues.

How can I rank my products among the top results?

Similarly, as Google has PageRank, Amazon has A9 – its product ranking algorithm. To answer this crucial question, we must understand how A9 works and what it expects to find from your product entries. According to their website, the algorithm goes beyond a simple user query. At the moment the customer places keywords in the search bar. A9 has already indexed the texts on every product registered in their database – all while observing previous traffic patterns and performing a comprehensive data analysis

The algorithm’s paramount rule is relevance. They understand it as the fundamental view of what each product is, along with past sales analysis, all within a set of predefined metrics. If we demystify these metrics, we can understand the algorithm. This will ultimately help us rank our products on the first page. Long story short, we need to comprehend the following variables: performance, conversion rates, and relevance.

1) Performance

The logic behind this variable is the easiest one to grasp. The more our products sell, the more revenue Amazon gets. This is the reason why they created the Best Seller’s Rank (BSR). The BSR is a number that the platform designates to each product, according to their most recent sales statistics. The lower the BSR, the higher the sales have been for that particular product – and vice-versa. To better understand how BSR works, let’s take a quick look at the following table. This shows us a practical example of coffee grinders. As we can see from the table, coffee grinders found on the first page of results, sell on average 3,419 units. It’s hard not to notice this if you’re A9. So, to be a part of the first page of results, we need to have a high enough number of sales.

However, how can we achieve these numbers if we’re not among the top results, to begin with?

Fortunately, there are a couple of alternative tricks to get the same results:

Promotions and giveaways The giveaway concept is quite simple, after all, who doesn’t like to get things for free? Regardless, it counts as a sale to fuel your product’s statistics. Promotions, on the other hand, require a bit more of effort. Lucky for us, there are some tools which make our jobs easier, like JumpSend. Successfully creating a promotion requires some steps. First, we need to create a promotion at an Amazon seller central. Secondly, we need to sign up for an Amazon deal site (this is where JumpSend comes in) and list our promotions there, along with the product codes. From there on, it’s automatic. Sales are going to increase, along with our Amazon product ranking. Last, but not least, there is a final aspect of performance to consider. JumpSend can help us with this:

Reviews Amazon still believes that reviews are an integral part of their business model. They believe this feature has given them the edge over their competitors. Additionally, they are a crucial component in building trust and confidence between the customers and products.

Conversion Rates

There are two different concepts which come into play here: conversion rates and unit session percentages. Let’s discuss the first one. A conversion rate (CR) is a simple metric obtained as the result of the total number of visitors divided by the total number of sales. For example, if product X gets 100 visits and 25 sales per month, its CR will be of 25 percent. However, Amazon algorithm cares more about the latter, unit session percentages. They are the result of the total number of visitors divided by the total number of units sold. Following product X logic, if those 25 sales came from 25 unique visitors buying one unit each, the product’s CR and USP will both be equal to 25 percent. However, if each of those unique visitors bought three units each, instead of one, the product’s CR will remain at 25 percent but its USP will jump at 75 percent. The best way to achieve a high USP value is by increasing our Average Order Value (AOV). Simple marketing strategies, like Multiple Unit Discounts (50% off on the second unit) and Buy One Get One Free will do the trick.

Relevance

To better understand what is relevant to our customers (and what is not), we need to analyze how they perform their searches online. According to recent studies, about 50% of Google searches were four words or longer, which tells us that users are targeting specific needs when they go online – we refer to these as long-tail keywords. Additionally, there are on average 1,890 words on the first-page result on Google. Simply put, the longer (yet specific) the content, the better the ranking. We can use this valuable information to acquire that much-needed relevance for our products.

Let’s cover the basics:

Amazon listing title: There is a 200-character limit for titles on Amazon, and each of those words is searchable on their own. Creating a product-selling title requires not only relevant words but also the overall feel of enticement, customers have to feel the need to click on it.

Features: Although we have a 500-character limit for our features, we need to keep it clear and simple – too much information might scare away our potential customers. To make the most out of this field, we must think as our customers would, and provide answers to the questions we would ask ourselves.

Description: In this field, we have a 2000-character limit. Every line should provide our customers with new valuable information. Additionally, this is the best place to introduce a compelling call-to-action.

Search Terms and Subject Matter: Found on the back end of our product listing, these last couple of features might be all we need to gain relevance on Amazon. Disregarded by many sellers, they are both sets of 5 fields containing 50 characters each, for a total of 250 characters. Here, we should place synonyms and similar versions of our main keywords for better indexing and more promising results.

Conclusion

With this guide, we hope to provide you with all the tools required to get your products among the top results of an Amazon product ranking search. Ultimately, achieving that much-desired financial success.

Do you need to photograph metal objects? Do your photos get nasty blown out spots? Is there no texture at all?

Do you need to photograph metal objects but in doing so you get photos with nasty blown out spots and no texture at all?

In this article you will learn how to avoid this. Using a simple technique that is absolutely functional and requires only of equipment that you probably already own.

That’s right, you can obtain professional photographs of metal objects without having the tools of a photographic studio. In fact, with this technique, you will learn how you can take these photographs using basic tools.

Now, first we will explain the fundamentals on which this technique is supported. We will approach the technique itself and finally we will tell you exactly what to do. Ultimately you will then be able to photograph metallic objects in a professional way. Our guide provides a practical and affordable process.

One of the basics of Metal Photography: the Law of Reflection

(watch the video below)

Before entering the subject we will explain one of the fundamental aspects of Metal Photography. For that we will get a little theoretical, bringing up an old Physics law. Do not worry because it’s implementation will be quite simple, as you’ll see while reading this article.

equality between the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection.

What does this law of reflection have to do with metal photography?

Well, metal objects have reflective surfaces and these project light as a mirror would. So if such metal objects are photographed directly, their surface will reflect the light that was emitted by the flash. This will cause the resulting photos to have specular highlights. This makes it impossible to appreciate texture and background in such photos.

How to photograph shiny metal objects the proper way?

We can may conclude that when you want to photograph shiny metal objects, you should do it from a different angle than the camera’s, because

if you do it from the same one the light will bounce straight back at you, which naturally will be reflected in the photo -with the consequences already indicated.

So, what should be done to avoid this?

Here’s the answer: you must have a light source that is larger than your flash’s. You should also place it behind the metal object, in the same angle as your camera. That way, the light that is reflected when taking the photo will be bigger than the one emitted by your flash, and this will allow you not only to avoid the indicated specular highlights but also to put you in control of the photographed metal object’s reflections.

Of course, the foregoing could be carried out with a big softbox and a studio flash head, but not everyone has such equipment -or the means to acquire them.

However, we have good news!

A “home” technique for photographing shiny metal objects

There is a simpler way to carry out this procedure with cheaper implements: All you need is a flash, a trigger system to fire it off-camera, and a white

cardboard, the last of which would work as the bigger light source.

With this technique, you can also create texture in the metallic object’s background and surface (ie if you want to emphasize that one of these objects is wet,water drops will appear on your photo). This is achieved by playing with the family of angles that is created between the flash and the cardboard with respect to the photographed object.

In this way, a direct reflection will certainly occur but the light will not illuminate the metal reflective surface from the point of view of the camera resulting in photos in which it is possible to see the metal object in detail, even its texture and background, but, more importantly, without those undesirable blown out spots.

Conclusion

So, as you can see, although the theoretical basis of this technique may not be so easy to understand, its applicability is quite easy. It is also practical and affordable.

Our recommendation is that you put this technique into practice. You will then become more and more experienced in the art of photographing reflective metal objects.

Do you want your jewelry to stand out in the jewelry market? It is possible to photograph jewelry and better still, do it on a budget. You can achieve this by making use of great quality jewelry photography.

Avoid bad jewelry photos which will make editors, buyers, and customers not to take you seriously.

In this article, we will show you how you to photograph jewelry on a budget. Even as an amateur photographer, the following simple techniques used by professional photographers will result in great and professional images.

Fundamentals of good jewelry photograph include the following:

Lighting – Make use of soft lighting since it’s best suited for jewelry photography. The use of continuous lighting for jewelry photography will make it easier to visualize how the final image will look like.

Exposure – Proper exposure is also essential for good jewelry photography.

Sharpness – In order for jewelry photos to qualify as good, they have to be sharp. A cheap method of achieving this is by setting your camera in a spot focus mode.

Sparkle – Some jewelry like gemstones will need sparkle and good photography can help you achieve this.

Tripod – A tripod is one of the essential tools you should make sure to use when doing jewelry shooting. A sturdy tripod is preferable though in the event you may lack a sturdy tripod, even a weak one can be considered because you can never overrule the need for a tripod when doing jewelry shootings. – Best Tripods on Amazon

One of the major reasons why we recommend that you use a light diffusers is the fact that it will produce an easy and soft lighting. A light disffusers will also provide a backdrop support as well as a background which is clutter free.

How can you create a soft lighting?

Now that we have mentioned severally that you must make use of soft lighting in order to achieve professional looking jewelry photos, what comes to mind is, how can we create a soft lighting?

You can create a soft lighting by placing your source of light very close to the diffuser paper closer to object you are lighting. This makes the light larger than the subject softening the light. Smaller lighting footprints are better.

How can you add sparkle to faucets gemstones and diamonds?

A light tent will provide a cheap and soft lighting way for your jewelry and provide pleasing images. However, for diamonds and faucet gemstones, a light tent may not be sufficient to add sparkle to your images.

Diamonds and gemstones may also need to be illuminated by a light source positioned close to the camera to shine directly into the gemstones’ face. Using an ordinary light will cause a hotspot and glare.

Daylight colored LED bulbs are specifically made to bring out the fire in diamonds and add brilliance to faceted gemstones. Here is a tip which will help you add more sparkle to gemstones and diamonds.

The sparkle which is the third light is the key to having well-lit faceted gemstones. Position this light till you achieve a sparkle in your gemstone and diamond.

How to control reflection in pearls

Placing a single source of light directly above your pearls will result in a very great photo. This will make your pearls to appear more 3D like.

Avoid a dull and dull finish caused by using too many lights. A single light will provide you with a single white highlight which is important in establishing eye contact with the object.

How to photograph jewelry with reflective silver and gold

Taking reflective jewelry photos is quite challenging even for professional photographers. You will need to make a number of decisions in order to achieve a good job.

The trick is to learn to control reflections and not to eliminate them all together. In this way, you will be in a better position to decide which reflections enhance your jewelry’s reflective appearance.

We suggest that you do not eliminate reflections entirely from your jewelry. This is because doing this will make your jewelry look dull, lifeless and flat.

Fundamental jewelry photography equipment and tools

This is a breakthrough for people who have been struggling to take excellent jewelry photos which you can use to increase sales. The use of TableTopStudio will help you eliminate the need for a professional photographer saving you money.

Having proper equipment such as a good camera and lighting will help you take good photos which you can use for your jewelry online business.

Tripod

Always ensure that you have used a tripod to avoid blurry photos. Smaller tripods can be used if you are using a point and shoot light camera otherwise you must invest in a sturdy tripod if you are using an SLR camera. This will prevent your camera from falling which may damage it.

surface

It’s important to note that for jewelry photography a more solid surface will be ideal. A thicker cardboard or Plexiglas will be ideal to be used as a surface .

One of the benefits of using a solid surface is that you are able to get a hold of wax and also position your earrings in a vertical position.

You can also approach the Plexiglas Company and have them bend for you a white sheet to an 85 degrees backdrop curve. This can be used as an endless curve where you can hang necklaces and chains. For earing posts, you can drill holes. ( Buy on amazon )

Lighting

If you are not in a position to take your photos in broad daylight, invest in 2 Speed lights or continues monolights. (Buy on amazon)

More tips on lighting:

Always ensure that your lighting match. If you are using speed lights, ensure that all the lights are of the same color. Using different light colors can alter the look of photos. To avoid this, stick with same lights throughout your shooting.

A brilliant white background can ruin your photos by overexposing them. Make sure you get a good exposure which is balanced to achieve great photos.

The Camera and lense

There are several cameras which you can use but we will focus on automatic digital cameras and semi-manual digital cameras. To achieve quality jewelry photos, buy a camera with the following properties:

Mega-pixels – A camera with more megapixels per inch will give you bigger and better image – I personally recomend for the Nikon d7200, it’s a great camera for a decent budget specially if most of your images are going to be web based. (Buy on amazon)

Macro lens – With jewelry photography, you definitely need finer details. To achieve this, use a camera with macro-lens which will get you very close jewelry photos bringing out all the finer details. you may want to go with sigma 105mm, they are well priced and the quality is amazing. (Buy on amazon)

10 Useful equipment needed for placing jewelry during shooting

Invest in a piece of Plexiglas or a small white tile to serve as the base of your jewelry. The shiny surface will offer you a nice reflection.

Use a small wax to place your jewelry carefully on the tile or Plexiglas. Remember to use very minimal wax so it won’t show on the image.

To achieve a floating appeal for your jewelry, use an open frame to suspend your jewelry.

Use a clear thread to tie your jewelry in place during shooting. A fishing line will be perfect for this task.

A clear earing holder will also come in handy in holding your earing in place during shooting.

A bracelet holder is another helpful equipment which you should make use.

A necklace form will also help you drape your necklace in an attractive manner during shooting.

A dust blower will be useful in removing dirt and hair from jewelry. You can also use it to remove dust particles from your camera lenses for a clear and perfect shot.

Use cotton gloves to handle jewelry. This will prevent fingerprints from appearing on your image.

Polish your product using a polish cloth to make your jewelry shine. Do not use a polish cloth on soft stones and pearls though.

Here is a link for a Jewelry kit that will give you a good start . (Buy on amazon)

Set up

How you set up your jewelry photography lighting will determine the quality of photos you will get. Investing in basic equipment which does not exceed $1500 is another affordable way of creating amazing jewelry photography on a budget.

Now that you have assembled all your equipment which ensures that your jewelry photos are of top-notch quality, you will need to set up your studio.

Begin by choosing a strong table which should be 4 inches high. A folding table is well suited for this job and it can also be folded and easily stored when not in use.

Cover the table using a white tablecloth to bounce the light and not eliminate it.

Place your Plexiglas on the table in the center then position the lights on both sides, behind each diffuser.

You can now start taking shots of your jewelry since by doing the above you have come up with a perfect photography set up. Shooting the jewelry

Now that we have organized everything and even showed you how to set up your studio, let us a look at how we can take perfect jewelry shots.

Position your camera properly and look for an angle which will give you a perfect shot.

Editing your photos

This might take you a while to perfect. Once you have perfected this technique, it will become very easy to edit your photos before you upload them.

Editing

your jewelry photos will enhance the metal and add more shine to your stones. You may find that you need to add reflections or shadows to your image. This is a tedious task and you may have to outsource this service.

Photo editing will also help you replace your jewelry’s color without the need to shoot your jewelry in different colors.

Now that you have taken perfect shots of your jewelry and have edited your photos, you are ready to increase your jewelry online sales.

Conclusion

As we have clearly seen, it’s possible to increase jewelry sales using professional and great jewelry photography done on a budget.

You can take the photographs yourself though at times you will find that you will need to hire a professional jewelry photography studio to get the highest quality for your photo.

Editing your photos is crucial in enhancing your jewelry’s metal, shine, and reflection. It will also come in handy when replacing your jewelry’s color without the need for different color shoots.

Editing can be tedious and you might have to outsource this service before you can clearly learn to do this yourself.

Ecommerce is without a doubt one of the most promising and lucrative ventures in today’s business world. Product photography plays a huge part of that. There are so many opportunities ranging from drop- shipping niches and affiliate marketing gigs to online shopping platforms for you to sell your stuff on. However, ecommerce isn’t all fun posts and dollar bills. There is too much competition out there for you to relax. One of the best ways to give yourself a leg up is by investing in smart and effective marketing techniques, such as product photography. In this case nothing can quite match the perks you get from product photography. Below is all you need to know about the many benefits of this strategy whether you are selling cupcakes or marketing a holiday package.

Product photography?

Product photography is not exactly a term that needs much explanation. It is simply taking photos of products you intend on selling or marketing. These are meant to complement written reviews and product descriptions on both online and print ads. Clearly, it isn’t rocket science.

However, it is not as simple as getting that pair of sneakers you’re selling, taking a random photo with your phone and calling it a day.

Product photography is an art where things like lighting, positioning, angles and so much more are taken into consideration. With this much attention to detail, you can turn something as simple as a photograph into a powerful marketing weapon that will have your competition eating dust.

10 perks you have to look forward to

So what exactly are the benefits of ecommerce photography?

1. It increases interest in the product

More often than not, online shoppers do not know exactly what they are looking for until they find it. Maybe they want a new laptop but have no idea what brand or model to go for. It is important for you to take advantage of this by getting them interested in what you have to offer. Well taken photographs go a long way to help you here by getting your potential customer interested. If they like the photo, they are more likely to pay attention to your other content including product descriptions that will allow them to make a decision.

2. It tells more about the product than most descriptions

Everyone knows the saying a picture is worth a thousand words’ but not many seem to understand how true it is. A good product photograph comes in handy with marketing as it allows your clients to get a better understanding of what they are buying. It isn’t enough to tell them about the colors, design and dimensions. Let them see it for themselves. This allows them to better understand the product which will definitely work in your favor.

3. It allows your clients to appreciate the variety available

This benefit is easy to pick out with Amazon listing photos and others from similar online shopping websites. If you are selling products that appear similar on paper then sometimes the best way to allow clients to distinguish them is through photography. This highlights the fact that in addition to high quality you have a lot of variety to offer. There is truly no better way to edge out competition in the eyes of the customer.

4. You can also use the images as a user guide

In this case, the photographs serve as a manual in addition to being your marketing tools. This is best done using models who demonstrate how to set up or use the product in still photographs. This makes it a lot easier for your customers to understand how the product works and how they could use it if they bought it. It could also save you a lot in terms of user guide costs if you are the one creating and selling the products.

5. It gives your ecommerce website a more creative look and feel

When it comes to ecommerce, content is everything. It is important that your website or platform landing pages are not only informative but also captivating. Product photography takes care of both with emphasis on the captivating part. When potential clients load your website, they don’t want to drown in black and white characters. A little splash of color and pixel magic is needed to keep them interested. This has been show to increase not only traffic to websites but also time spent as well as conversions.

6. It allows you to use social media marketing platforms

One of the most amazing benefits of product photography is that it allows you to market using different platforms. One of these is the social media platform. All you need is a few nice photographs and you can reach out to clients through major sites including Facebook and Instagram [2]. This comes in especially handy if your target demographic is more youthful and tech savvy.

7. It allows potential customers to visualize owning the product

Ecommerce photography is one of the best ways to give the customer an idea of what it would be like to own the product. Again, this works best when there are models involved. Say for example you are selling kids toys. Instead of having a bare product on white, have a baby model reading playing with the toy in the photograph. This allows the potential buyer to relate and connect with the product which significantly increases their chances of buying the product.

8. They could help optimize your website

Search engines have been designed in such a way that high quality, detailed and relevant photographs are given priority when it comes to search results. All you need to do is to also optimize your photographs [3] in order to land a spot on the list of top search results. This increases your visibility to potential customers and subsequent traffic to your page.

9. It increases product sales

It is a statistically proven fact that product descriptions with accompanying photographs yield higher conversions to sales. This is especially the case when there

are multiple photographs taken at different angles. A 2016 study by online shopping website Shopify [1] on their customers showed that up to 33.16% of their

customers base their purchases on the photographs and are more likely to buy if there are multiple photographs. Another study showed that 78% of this same group would intentionally avoid buying a product if there was no photograph available and if those present were not detailed. With all this math to prove it, it goes without saying that product photography is a must-have.

10. It allows you to secure brand identity

There are different styles for you to choose from when it comes to photo ads. Settling on one could allow you to build brand identity and make your products easy to recognize from any platform you use to market them. This comes in particularly handy with Amazon product photography where you are trying to create a name for your brand and products despite the competition.

Final verdict

So, should you take a shot? The answer is a resounding yes. If you want your business to thrive you simply cannot afford to pass up on all these amazing benefits. All you have to do is invest in a professional product photography company like ours. We have been in the business since 2008 and have the skill and experience needed to give you that much needed edge. That way, whether you are an affiliate marketer or you are launching your own shopping website you will have amazing product photos to complement your content.

What is product photography?

Let us fill in your Product photography Knowledge. Product photography is a specialized branch of commercial photography which focuses on showcasing products in a way that entices potential buyers to buy. Product photography utilizes specific techniques

Did you know that 90% of the information that reaches the brain is visual? [1] That’s a fact. So, it doesn’t matter how sophisticated a website is. Your website visitors are engaged first by the visual elements in your site, not words. Photos are therefore a crucial part of a consumer’s decision-making process.

When we dig deeper, having photos on your website or ads isn’t enough. Any picture can capture the attention of your website visitors better than text. It’s the quality of the photos that sets your brand apart from the rest and that’s where product photography comes in.

Here’s more on why product photography increases conversions.

Consumer psychology studies have shown that consumers consider images when making purchasing decisions. One such study shows that as much as 93% of consumers use images to gauge the value and quality of a product.[2] In ecommerce, high-quality product photos translate to high quality/ value products. They also enhance another important buyer touch point which is making the products more relatable.

2. Images are the “backbone” of branding

There is no better way to create a strong brand other than to use images. Most, if not all brand-related marketing efforts revolve around images. Everything about an image i.e., the subject matter, quality, color theme, saturation, ett. can be used to portray the perfect brand image. High-quality images grab attention, create trust and invite customers to interact with your products. They can also be modified to target specific audiences and create ideal perceptions.

Products born out of successful image-branding have no problem converting. The most successful luxury brands today have perfected the art of using product photography to create a perfect and consistent brand image.

In the image – L’oreal advertising branding sample imagry

3.Professional images offer the best first impression

Product images go further than symbolize the quality of your products. They create the first impression. They act as the “window”to your eCommerce store. A great first impression (created using high-quality professional images) boosts trust and transparency resulting in maximum engagement. Consumers tend to buy more from stores or websites they trust.

A good first impression will go a long way in keeping potential customers on your website as well as prompting them to buy from you. Types of product photography Now that you already know how product photography increases conversions, we can shift our focus to the types.

Product photography is divided into two main categories name Product-only images and in-context photos

Product-only photos:As the name suggests, this type of product photography features products only. The images are clean-cut featuring a white background. Product-only images showcase a product from a variety of angles. The photography is meant to highlight a product’s main features. Amazon is a great example of an e-commerce store that uses product-only images.

In-context photos: This type of product photography is meant to show products in use. For this reason, the photography includes a product as well as a person using it and/or the environment the product is supposed to be used in. In-context photos also known as lifestyle photos may also feature complementing products.

Example

A perfect example of an in-context photo would be a person pitching a tent. In such a case, the tent would be the product. The person in the picture would represent the person looking to buy the tent. The background would represent the best environment for pitching the tent. In-context photos describe products at a glance.

In the image above – person pitching a tent

Product-only photos vs. in-context photos

The type of product photography you should use on your website or on your online platform listing depends on many factors ranging from the type of product you want to promote to the impression you want to create among other factors.

Product-only photos are ideal for typical product displays. They are suitable for product pages where they have been proven to offer higher conversion rates.[4] When you want your potential customers to develop stronger emotional bonds with your products, it is recommendable to use in-context photos or a mixture of both.

In-context or lifestyle photos are best-suited for blog posts, social media and emails among other marketing channels that are high up on your conversion funnel because they tell stories concisely without limiting your creative freedom. It’s also worth noting you may need more images when taking product-only photos. Contrary to popular belief, one or two product-only photos aren’t enough in a product page meant to have a high conversion rate.

Having understood the basics, let’s move on to the actual steps of taking product photos. Product photography can be divided into 4 main steps namely; planning, photographing, production and publishing. Note: If you choose to hire a professional product photography company, you don’t have to worry about these steps. However, it’s good to familiarize yourself with the process.

Step 1: Planning

You must think about the products you are shooting, where

you are shooting, they type/angle of shots you want, type of product

photography, budget among many other things. For instance, do you need models? Are you planning on doing the photo shoot yourself? If so, what equipment do

you need, what editing software will you use, etc.? Planning ahead will save you precious time, lower your costs and increase your chances of getting the best photos possible.

Step 2: Photographing

If you plan adequately, this step shouldn’t be a challenge.

Photographing involves; preparing your product, styling, preparing your lighting, preparing your camera, and then taking the actual pictures. A lot that goes into this step so this is a simplification of the actual process. If you are not a professional photographer, it’s not advisable to execute this step. Photographing has the most significant effect on the final images. Everything has to be right in this step from the camera settings to the lighting!

Step 3: Post Production

Once you have your high-quality product photos, you will need to enhance them for the web. Post-production involves processes like consistent background removal, size formatting, alignment, cropping, compressing, margin setting, etc. These processes make it easy for your website visitors to browse images easily in your product category pages.

Post-production also ensures you get the best images possible. The importance of this step is attested in studies. One such study shows that post-production processes such as removing the background eliminates unsightly distractions, reduces file size and boosts consistency making such processes overwhelmingly necessary (93% of the time). [5]

Step 4: Publishing

Once your images are edited, the last step is uploading them

and sharing them with the world. If you are using a user-friendly interface, this step should be easy. However, don’t forget about product descriptions, ideal image sizes and image SEO. A good product photo must be accompanied by a matching description.

You should also upload product images based on the image-size guidelines of the interface you are using. Last, but not least, your image needs an “alt text” for SEO purposes. Including “alt text” with the relevant keyword will ensure your image ranks high on Google image search results for specific keywords.

Summary

Product photography is an art. The above quick guide highlights the most important basics. However, there is more to product photography than what is discussed above. The importance of product photography to your brand is the main reason why you should leave product photography to professionals or take the time to learn.

For any online business enterprise, accurately representing your products or services on your website is very essential. This shows your customers what you have to offer, and ultimately the success of your business. In this regard and as far as jewelry photography is concerned, one thing matters the most: showcasing the details.

Your customers need to see and learn. They want to know as much as possible about your jewelry products before they can consider buying them. Therefore, if you want to have a consistent and highly sought-after professional online store for your jewelry, then you have to know how to take beautiful, detailed and high-quality photos for display on your website.

Below, we have compiled a detailed discussion on the 10 most commonly-repeated mistakes by jewelry photographers. We describe how to avoid falling into their pitfalls when taking photos of your products:

1) Making Casual Preparations for Your Jewelry Photography

Although it’s possible to get rid of most simple flaws from your Jewelry Photography during post-production editing, this is can consume lots of time and money due to the high-level skills involved. It’s therefore advisable to get rid of any tags, strings or stickers from the product you want to photograph before the actual photoshoot.

Being sloppy in your preparations can hurt your business up to the final product’s appeal to your customers and ultimately your profitability also suffers.

2) Being Irregular in Your Photographing Style

Nowhere is inconsistency a great trait to have, not least when taking photos of your jewelry products to display on your site. You need to have a consistent style such that your images don’t appear differently-photographed when compared to others taken earlier. Otherwise, you risk confusing your customers and diluting your business professionalism.

Make your camera settings consistent. Crop and size your photos similarly. Use consistent lighting and background colors. Have a template of guidelines and stick to them!

The images below is a good example of an inconsistent style of sizing/cropping.

3) Having Your Backgrounds “Too Busy” With Colors & Stuff

Maintain the impeccable appeal of your Jewelry Photography images and provide your website shoppers with a smooth experience by using a light background color — preferably white but grey is also recommendable — when shooting photos of your jewelry products. In addition to the “sense of timelessness” that such a “clean” background gives your images, color, clutter or pattern distractions are also avoided to ensure your customer focuses on your product alone.

And as we’ve discussed above, you’ll also need to choose a particular style and remain consistent. In the images below, the style used is perfectly clean and consistent

4) Use of Non-Essential Props

You don’t really need to use any props or live models when shooting photos of your jewelry products. In fact, such props may just impede your products’ professional appearance by diverting the attention of your customers from what matters most, i.e. the actual jewelry product. Just place your jewelry items on a flat white or grey surface when taking shots and you’ll be good to go.

Allow your jewelry products enough space to shine by maintaining things in your product image frames clean and uncluttered. In the image below, the mannequin only acts to inhibit the buyer’s undistracted view of the necklace in sale.

5) Use of Improper White Balance

Although the images below represent the same pendant, the images appear very different due to the varying light conditions under which the shots were taken.

While the metal used in the photo on the left is golden yellow in appearance, the right one is a gradient of colors with blue dominating. This makes the two Jewelry Photography photos to have neither clean backgrounds nor appropriate white balance.

Choose appropriate white balance settings for all your images to make their coloring consistent. Although you can manually do this, we recommend simply choosing the “automatic” setting on your camera. This way, the camera recognizes what light source is in the background of the place you’re taking your photos from — whether natural sunlight, bulb lighting, flash, etc. — and captures the colors as close to the way they are in real life as possible. Typically, a camera white balance menu would look like below:

6) Applying Unnecessary (& Even Damaging) Reflections

While a beautiful sparkle from shiny jewelry is a fantastic thing, having lens reflections or too highlighted white spots visible on the photos is a no-no. You can rectify any reflections issues by either adjusting the placement of the jewelry or your own position relative to the source of light. Most likely you’ll also have to zoom in so as to be able to have a better view of the product and make sure no unwanted reflections are carried forward to the final image.

In the images below, the left one has reflections while the right one has none:

7) Using an Image Focus that is Too Soft

To satisfy your buyers’ appeal to your jewelry photography, provide them with sharp and clean images. Maintain everything in focus by taking shots using an aperture of f/11 or higher. Being too soft in focus gives your images a “fall-off” look, revealing less and less of image details.

In the left image below, a short field depth makes its focus “fall off” quite easily the further away your camera is away from the product. Conversely, the right-side image maintains relative sharp focus even for those areas of the product farthest from the camera.

8) Taking Shots in Harsh Lighting

Direct “contrasty” lighting can only reveal flaws in your jewelry products. This increases the likelihood of unnecessary shadows and create unwanted reflections. Whether taking your photos in natural sunlight or an artificial studio, make sure the lighting is soft. Also, be sure to learn the camera’s manual mode to have better lighting control.

Check out the images below; the left one was photographed under soft light and the right one under harsh light.

9) Poor Cropping & Sizing

As we’ve already discussed above, consistency in photographing style is very essential. Unlike the use of different angles, which is a good thing, having multiple crops and sizes only works to confuse your buyers and drastically erode your site’s professional appearance.

Create a template to enable you consistently crop and size all your images accurately. See images below:

10) Applying Only a Few Angles

Customers want to view your product image on your site like they’re seeing and turning the real thing in their hands — from all angles! Having more images at different angles better promotes your jewelry products.

Be sure to shoot at least a straight-on photo from the front. Shoot one angled photo from the front, one close-up detail image, one top view, etc.

Everybody likes looking at pretty pictures. But did you know that those pretty pictures are more powerful in convincing users to buy products or service than any tagline or slogan? Seriously, which wows you first – dazzling product photography for a magnificent destination or a standard cheesy marketing tagline?

Having ecommerce store product listings without product photography is a setback you want to avoid. Customers are least likely to buy your product if it doesn’t have product photography, even if they know what the product looks like. A missing photograph elicits mistrust in a potential customer and this directly affects your conversion rates.

That said, it not just enough to have an image alongside your product. You need to have gorgeous, well edited top quality product photography to capture your visitors attention. Any ecommerce store marketing manager still using those very poor quality images from the manufacturer deserves a shot in the arm. Even if you are running on a tight budget you can always shop around for low budget photography services that combine quality and a unique twist that brings out the best angles in your product. Most product photography New York service providers know just how to balance budget and quality so that you get value for each single dollar you invest in. But of course you can always browse around for other options.

Low Quality – Low Results

It is important to remember that poor quality photographs don’t just deny you sales but also reflect poorly on your professionalism and business reputation. When it comes to online shopping, high quality photographs are your first impression to your visitors and the closest they can get to viewing and inspecting your product. So you need your product photographs taken, rinsed, twisted, edited ….and edited again to represent your product in the best way possible.

Again, it doesn’t stop at taking the best quality photographs, how you present them is equally very important. With high speed internet now common place, you don’t have to worry so much about your website’s load time. You can directly upload high-resolution photographs of your products and allow customers to have a detailed view of your products as if they were actually in your physical store. Additionally, a little twist in the actual content of your images may go a long way to give your customers the final nudge towards adding your product to the cart.

Indeed, images hold a scientifically proven sway over the customers’ minds, why not apply this logic to your ecommerce store by turning that pretty product image into a mini salesman for your store. Here are some tips on how you can do it.

1. Portray your product in context

Context really matters. Don’t just show me the product, show it in context. The idea is to let me imagine using it. For instance, if you sell earrings, it may help to show a photograph a pretty lady wearing them. If your budget allows it, get a model to try them on and take high quality contextual images. The same applies for clothing and other fashion items. Customers want to know what the product looks like when worn.

Another example is furniture. Customers are 60% more likely to purchase that vintage sofa set in the context of a well furnished living room. Such contextual product images have a psychological benefit of allowing your customers to visualize selves using the product and this spikes up the desire to own the product. So take the advantage of showcasing your products in context and flatter those visitors into clicking on that Buy Now’ button.

2. Use images to convey emotions

The same way images can convey stories and draw the user in, they can also click on the users’ emotional heartstrings. This also loosens their purse strings on your online store. This tactic is commonly used by welfare and non-profit organizations. They can either make you tear yourself into clicking on the Donate’ button, or leave with an enormous guilt trip. If non-profits can use images to evoke emotions, you too can do it even better.

Injecting just a little more emotion in your product can significantly increase conversions on your site. The idea is to make show how the product makes the user feel when they use it. So tap into the powers of emotions with product images that speak to your customers. The right combination of photography, setting and model is key.

3. Photography environment is fundamental

Your product image is as good as its background and environment. Most ecommerce stores shoot their product photos on a plain or white background. This makes it easy for editing and integrating in their web pages. That’s great, but taking product photographs in real backgrounds can help add context and bestow trust in your user’s minds. So if you’re selling office glue for instance, it may help to take a photograph of the glue on an office table with other office items around the table; but with a special focus of the glue container.

4. Know your audience

We are very visual creatures. We interpret and process visual signals differently and faster than sound. However, the reactions to these visual signals vary from person to person. So before you decide on your image content and styling, make effort to understand the kind of audience you have.

The trick is to use the right images for the right audience. For instance, an image of an attractive lady may work well with male as well as female audiences but in different contexts. Similarly, an image of a church may evoke very different reactions from conservative audiences compared to liberal ones. The point is you should understand your target audiences’ tests, likes and dislikes and work from there on.

5. Human photos increase sales.

Does including people in your product increase conversions? Yes it does. For instance, if you sell headphones, using an image of a person with the headphones on enjoying the music will greatly boost conversions as opposed to using plain headphone photos. It gets even better if the person included in a well known model, celebrity or a person of influence.

Additionally, including a person in your product photograph may help you emphasize your target market in terms of age, race and gender. Try to resist the temptation of using random cheesy stock people photos.

6. Employ the eye-tracking trick

This may serve as additional trick when using human photos in your product images. Research has revealed that viewers follow the lead of the person in the photograph. So if you are using a model to market your product for instance, it’s not just enough to have them pose with the product, rather, you should have them focus their eyes on the product of interest.

7. Be generous with your product photography

Most ecommerce stores only put up one image per product. Which is OK, if you want to save on some storage space or reduce site load-time. However, nothing draws the visitor in and close like having multiple images of your product on your ecommerce store. Having multiple images gives you an opportunity to showcase the best features of your product and allows your customer to inspect it from various angles; just like they would do in the actual store.

If you are selling a pair of shoes for instance, it may help to have different close-up photos. Such as showing the laces, stitching, sole grooving, inner-sole, and so on. This may also help you showcase different color and design options.

8. Allow sharing

We all know how important social media is when it comes to contributing to site traffic. Currently the most shared item on social media is images, which is why apps that are entirely image driven such as Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat have suddenly become so popular. This image popularity has even pushed the text only Twiter to embrace more images in their feeds too.

You too can take advantage of this social media image frenzy by offering social sharing button on your product images for your users. This is a great way to drive social conversations around your products and eventually promote lead conversions.

9. What if your product is not physical?

There is always a way to sneak in images even if your product is not physical. For example, if you sell download-only software or e-books, you can still show a physical representation of a software box or book as this makes the product seem real in your customer’s mind. You can also use software screenshots for your product photography. Just be careful not to mislead your customers; you do not want to put up an image of a 250 pages book when your e-book is only 12 pages. Additionally, make it clear that the product is only available in digital form.

In conclusion

The final thing you should remember is that your product photographs are pages in your gallery and not just standalone works of art speaking different languages. They need to have some sort of consistency in their overall look’ and formatting in order to seamlessly integrate in the aesthetics of your website. You can always get a professional product photographer to fine-tune this for you. If you reside in Miami FL for instance, you can look around for product photography options available and choose a provider that matches your test and budget.

Since the current photography industry is riddled with scammers and hucksters, it’s advisable to be extremely careful as you shop for the most convenient and individually appealing product photographer prices. A lot of deliberation is also vital in finding the best product photographer. This is due to the fact that not every photographer who’s advertised affordable service options is fully honest

Owing to these and other pertinent concerns to bear in mind when searching for awesome product photo packages, briefly explored below are some crucial guidelines for finding the most client-centered choices and best product photographer in the present market. Read on to learn the top 5 tips for searching for not only high quality but also cost-effective product photographers.

Never Overlook Quality Even As You Shop for Affordable Deals

Quality over Quantity – this a basic concept that parents and everyone around us knocks into our brains throughout our formative stages. Nonetheless, the astounding ignorance with which we shelve aside this highly prudent maxim is outright confounding. Perhaps one of the main reasons a large number of product photography clients go for inferior service packages is simply due to their cheap price tags. Quite often, we readily give in to the little natural temptation that falsely hoodwinks us into believing that we can save money by choosing low-quality product photo deals. However, it’s infinitely better to spend a few additional dollars so as ultimately enjoy top-notch services. This doesn’t however mean that you should necessarily fall victim to some insincere specialists who charge unreasonably exorbitant product photographer prices.

Compare Various Best Product Photographer Quotes

Provided you don’t ignore any fundamental quality-related considerations, it’s quite imperative to undertake a few painstaking comparisons so as to pick the most budget-conscious product photography offers available. As a matter of rule, you should always take enough time to study and exhaustively analyze a number of appealing product photographer prices and quotes in order to pick the right packages well before you risk your hard-earned cash.

Dig Deeper Into Any Attractive Product Photographer Prices

Similarly, you can’t just assume that all the quotes for product photographer prices you come across are uniformly referenced. For instance, a given specialist may provide a deceptively less costly deal than another photographer while they’re in fact many unmentioned hidden or separate charges levied by the seemingly more affordable photo expert.

If you mistakenly assume that everyone is as honest as they talk, chances are decent you’ll end up helplessly conned by the many sweet-talking swindlers masquerading as genuine product photographers online or even at physical brick-and-mortar premises. As such, choosing top-rank photo experts who provide pocket-friendly product photographer prices and ones who only ask for payment once the projects have been substantially executed is a commendable safeguard against the shrewd shenanigans of possible scammers and impostors.

Select Unquestionably Honest/Well-Reputed Photographers

Because some dishonest service providers may mention great prices just to lure you into their dragnet, make sure that you fully scrutinize a product photo expert before you sign any irrevocably binding contractual documents. This is a highly advisable step since cases of disrespectful and thievish professionals who amend the original terms of engagement to con naive clients are becoming increasingly widespread these days.

The internet has incredibly simplified some core day-to-day business operations. One of these is hiring jewelry photographers for product advertising or even in-house profiling. However, the fact that you can find experienced photography gurus with a few mouse clicks doesn’t preclude the major pitfalls to watch out for as you carry out this search.

The rest of this short article explores some useful steps for selecting dependable photo specialists. Read on to know the top 5 quick tips for choosing web-based Jewelry photographer.

Choose Jewelry Photographers With Compellingly Genuine Websites

Since some web-based scammers may come up with bogus jewelry photography webpages just to lure inexperienced individuals into their thievish schemes, it’s wise to fully study convincing websites before you even contact their owners for any further professional engagements. First, just shun dubious sites that lack verifiable evidence of tangible visitor activity. If a website shows some tell-tale lack of professionalism or sound ethical standards, immediately consider this to be a red-flag.

Consider Website Visitor Remarks/Comments

You are strongly advised to look at any previous visitor comments on a given website for a jewelry photographer. Although these remarks may sometimes not be wholly genuine, basing your final choices on them significantly boosts your odds of landing and outstandingly well-practiced jewelry photographer. For full review credibility you may go an extra step and personally contact individuals who posted feedback.

Search for Web-Based Reviews On Client Opinion Forums

Your search for a reliable jewelry photographer should entail deeper fact-finding forays into client opinion platforms. This includes instagram or facebook. These two first-hand information exchange hubs are widely known for including virtually all kinds of helpful consumer advice from more experienced counterparts. This is another area a lot of prudence is greatly required. Don’t dismiss the bare truth that some knavish folks might forge favorable website reviews. As such, always double-check reviews to prove their authenticity before you base conclusive decisions on them as you pick an experienced and a well-reputed jewelry photographer.

Liaise With Yelp (Yelp.com)

It’s also a nice idea to run a few name searches on Yelp.com. This helps to ascertain that the professional you choose doesn’t have a negative track record. While on Yelp, you’ll be able to see a company’s third party reputation. Equally helpful, Yelp gives you an in-depth account of specific issues against a company and how the issues were resolved.

Analyze A Photography Website’s Customer Service Acumen /Tactfulness

Lastly, never overlook a website’s responsiveness to client concerns. Any photography service provider who doesn’t care to reply to customer queries or inquiries is also likely to be outright incompetent in their core professional responsibilities.

A promising product photo site that typically responds to issues raised by visitors is also probably owned by a great jewelry photographer. .